Schoolchildren from Byerley Park Primary School in Newton Aycliffe, a Get Set network school, will form a Guard of Honour to line the route as athletes make their way through the Olympic Park into the Olympic Stadium, for the London 2012 Olympic Games Opening Ceremony.
At the start of the Athletes’ Parade, during the athletes’ procession from the Olympic Village to the Olympic Stadium, the students who will join 249 other schools from across the UK and make up the 2,000 student Guard of Honour will line the route, holding lanterns and banners they have created to support one of the 204 competing teams.
For many of the 10,500 athletes the Guard of Honour will be their first experience of the London 2012 Games.
The school children have been preparing to provide a vibrant and diverse welcome for athletes competing at the Games.
The students are already learning about the cultures and athletes of the Andorran team as part of their celebrations for London 2012 World Sport Day taking place next month on 25 June.
World Sport Day, presented by Lloyds TSB, will see schools across the UK join together in celebrating how sport can bring the cultures of the world together. They will support the athletes of the Andorran team.
Byerley Park Primary School have been selected through the reward and recognition programme of the Get Set network, the official London 2012 education programme.
Alison Gargan, the school’s head teacher, said: “I am so pleased that all the hard work that we have been doing in school has been recognised and rewarded with this brilliant opportunity to go to the Olympic Park on the Opening Ceremony Day.
“I would like to thank our Local Councillor, Dorothy Bowman, for her very generous donation to our school in order that our pupils are able to take advantage of this event.
“This donation means that we are able to travel and stay in London to take full advantage of the whole London 2012 experience.
“I know the children will be wonderful ambassadors for the school and our local community.”
The children taking part in the Guard of Honour will represent our supporting team of Andorra.
The ceremony will involve the welcoming of each Olympic team, displaying flags and playing of each national anthem.
There will be a particular focus on team GB and Andorra at the ceremony with footage shown about the teams and their build up to London 2012.
LOCOG Chair Seb Coe said: “The presence of so many young people at the start of the Olympic Games Opening Ceremony will continue to show London 2012’s commitment to put young people at the heart of the Games. For athletes, the Guard of Honour will provide a stunning welcome to the Games and the perfect curtain raiser for the Athletes’ Parade.”
As well as having the opportunity to cheer on the world’s best athletes and be part of a global moment, the school children will also get the exciting chance to tour the Olympic Park and see some of the London 2012 venues before the world turns its attention to Danny Boyle’s Olympic Games Opening Ceremony in the Olympic Stadium later that day.
